HPC use in Testing Ad Hoc Wireless Sensor Networks Ken LeSueur Redstone Technical Test Center April 22, 2009

Wireless Sensor Network Testbed Need: Realistic testing of wireless tactical networks Networked sensors and sensor fusion systems Networked systems require the network to stimulate the system, unlike stand alone systems that can be tested in isolation A real-time network emulation with interfaces to real systems that forces perception and response as they would in the real world Current test methods are not adequate for testing tactical wireless network hardware in realistic battlefield environments 2

Proposed Approach Proposed Approach Combine Parallel computing resources Scalable, high fidelity network emulation Computer Generated Forces (CGF) model Testing of sensor hardware is facilitated by Network emulation that will allow interfacing of sensor hardware with virtual components to produce operationally realistic numbers of network nodes 5,000 to 10,000 for a future Brigade Combat Team 3

Example of Multi-Layered Network 4

Example of Multi-Layered Network UAS Networked Missiles UGV Sensors UGS 5

Tactical Scenario Tactical Scenario 6 6 NLOS-LS EO/IR Node Gateway Track Msg (WNW) Detection Msg EO/IR Node Track Message (SRW) Gateway Node 6 6

Tactical Scenario Tactical Scenario 7 7 NLOS-LS EO/IR Node Gateway Detection Msg EO/IR Node Track Message (SRW) Gateway Node 7 7

Tactical Scenario Tactical Scenario 8 8 NLOS-LS Fire Msg (WNW) EO/IR Detection Msg EO/IR Node EO/IR Command Msg Gateway Node 8 8

General Requirements Real-Time Operation Interface to real tactical network hardware Real-Time Operation Parallel Implementation to scale for large number of nodes Support for Military standard Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) 9

Test Bed Design Test Bed Design Sensor Hardware HWIL Interface Network Simulation (QualNet) Wireless Network Interface In-band Stimulation Node Positions On Terrain Physical Stimulator Computer Generated Forces Model (OneSAF) Infrared Visible Seismic Acoustic 10

Unattended Ground Sensor Example Tactical Unattended Ground Sensor QualNet Network Simulation Gateway Node SRW Wireless Interface Ethernet In-band Acoustic/Seismic Stimulation HPC Node Positions On Terrain OneSAF 11

Delivery/Integration System Configuration Delivery/Integration August 2009 12

Subsystem Test & Analysis Branch Facilities Distributed Test Control Center (DTCC) / High Performance Computer (HPC) Labs Capabilities: Spans from Pure Simulation to Hardware Integration Utilizing HWIL Assets for both Lab and Field Environments Classified and Unclassified Networking and Computing 92+ Microprocessors and Access to HPC Resources Advanced Multi-User KVM Switching to All Computers Fiber Links to All RTTC Labs and Ranges Defense Research & Engineering Network (DREN) Connection (OC-12 with OC-3 Guaranteed) Host of Simulation, Visualization, Network Monitoring and Data Recording Software Suites Video Processing, Recording and Distribution Simulated Tactical Radio Communications Capability HPC Control Area HPC Lab Bullets: DTCC DTCC

Initial Testbed Efforts Results Initial Testbed Efforts Analysis of scalability of Network emulation and HWIL testing/simulation Analysis of performance as a function of fidelity (path loss modeling, terrain model, interference modeling, jamming/attacks, power/battery model, data acquisition, etc.) 14

Test Setup Test Setup Purpose: Evaluate number of Nodes, number of processors, and simulation complexity on real-time testing. HWIL interfaces linking live video Server/Client UDP Generator Rude/Crude used for quantitative measurements 512 kbps UDP/Video Stream 802.11 wireless protocol 2 Mbps wireless subnets Monitor Real-time performance while adjusting number of nodes, subnets, and background traffic 15

HWIL Interface HWIL Interface - Virtual Node - Simulated Node 16

Performance Data Performance Data 17

Performance Data 18

Performance Data Cont. 19

Conclusion Conclusion Using the scenarios outlined in this testing, approximately 750 simulated wireless network nodes can be simulated on a two processor computer while simultaneously interfacing to two external HWIL networked systems passing live streaming video Parallel efficiency is approximately 65% for a 1000 node scenario running on 2 processors (Expand when HPC delivered) Performance thresholds can be measured but the results are highly scenario dependent 20